Optical character recognition (OCR) reads the text inside an image so you can copy and edit it. This tool pulls text out of screenshots, scans and photos in seconds.
The recognition runs in your browser, so your images stay private. It is free with no signup.
How to use the Image to Text (OCR)
- Select an image that contains text.
- Wait a moment while the text is recognised.
- Copy the extracted text and use it anywhere.
How OCR pulls text out of an image
Optical Character Recognition analyses the shapes in a picture and converts them into editable, copyable text. It works on screenshots, photos of documents, scanned pages and photographed signs. Accuracy depends on the source: clean screenshots and printed documents extract almost perfectly, while low light photos, skewed angles and stylised fonts reduce accuracy. Clear handwriting works reasonably; messy handwriting remains hard for any OCR.
Getting the best results
Use the sharpest image you have, crop to just the text area, and keep the text horizontal. A document photographed straight-on under even light extracts far better than one shot at an angle. After extraction, skim the result for confusions like the letter O versus zero and the letter l versus the digit one, which are the classic OCR mistakes.
Common uses
- Copying text from screenshots when the original cannot be selected
- Digitising printed documents, receipts and book pages
- Extracting numbers from photographed tables and invoices
- Recovering text from images sent over chat apps
Recognition runs in your browser, so sensitive documents never leave your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is the OCR tool free?
Yes, free with no signup or limit.
Are my images uploaded?
No. Text recognition runs in your browser.
What languages are supported?
English text works best. Clear, high-contrast images give the most accurate results.
Why is some text wrong?
Blurry or low-contrast images reduce accuracy. A sharper image gives better OCR results.